Why Does God Call Us Sheep? — Part 4 of Our Bible Study Series

We’ve explored why God compares us to sheep, who Jesus is as the Good Shepherd, and how we recognize His voice through Scripture.

But knowing where to find His truth raises another question.

How do we distinguish His truth from all the other voices competing for our attention?

Some voices come from people we trust—pastors, churches, family, or friends. Others come from social media and the culture around us.

Some messages openly contradict Scripture. Others sound so familiar, reasonable, or spiritual that we never think to question them.

And sometimes the voice leading us in the wrong direction is our own.

We may believe something because it feels right, because we’ve heard it our entire lives, or simply because we want it to be true.

So how do we learn to recognize the difference?

Scripture teaches us about something essential to spiritual maturity.

Discernment.

What Does God Say About Discernment?

Read Hebrews 5:11–14.

Before continuing, notice what the writer says about the spiritual maturity of these believers.

What should they have been able to do by this point? And according to verse 14, how is discernment developed?

The writer of Hebrews addresses believers who have become dull of hearing. Although they should have matured enough to teach others, they still need someone to teach them the elementary truths of God’s Word.

He compares their spiritual condition to infants who still need milk rather than solid food.

Then he explains something important:

“But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”

Hebrews 5:14 (ESV)

Notice that discernment is something developed through practice.

It isn’t simply having a feeling that something is wrong, being naturally suspicious, or possessing strong intuition.

As we grow in our understanding of God’s Word and put what we learn into practice, we become better equipped to distinguish good from evil.

But discernment isn’t only about recognizing what is wrong. It also helps us recognize what is right.

Consider Paul’s prayer for the believers in Philippi:

“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”

Philippians 1:9–11 (KJV)

Paul connects love with knowledge and discernment. His prayer isn’t simply that believers would become better at identifying falsehood, but that they would grow in their ability to recognize what is excellent and live lives that bring glory to God.

Biblical discernment isn’t about becoming suspicious of everything or everyone. It’s about growing in our understanding of God’s truth so that it shapes what we believe, how we love, and the decisions we make.

Human Understanding vs. Biblical Discernment

We all use judgment to navigate the world around us.

We evaluate information, decide whom to trust, consider consequences, and make choices based on what we believe is right.

Someone who doesn’t believe in God can still recognize deception, think critically, make wise decisions, and demonstrate integrity.

The difference isn’t that Christians are the only people capable of good judgment.

The difference is the ultimate authority by which we measure our judgment.

Think about the questions we often ask ourselves:

• Does this feel right?
• Does this agree with my values?
• Will this make me happy?
• Does this benefit me?
• What do the people around me believe?

There’s nothing inherently wrong with considering our feelings, experiences, or reasoning.

But what happens when our understanding conflicts with what God has revealed?

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”

Proverbs 14:12 (ESV)

Something can seem completely reasonable and still lead us in the wrong direction.

Read Romans 12:1–2.

Before focusing on the instruction to renew our minds, notice how Paul begins his appeal in verse 1. What is the reason he gives for offering our lives to God?

Paul urges believers, in response to God’s mercy, to offer their lives to Him as an act of worship. Rather than conforming to the world, they are to be transformed through the renewing of their minds.

And notice what follows: this transformation is connected to discerning God’s will.

Following Jesus isn’t simply about changing our outward behavior. As we grow in Him, our thinking, desires, and understanding should increasingly be shaped by His truth.

Proverbs gives us another important reminder:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.”

Proverbs 3:5–7 (NIV)

This doesn’t mean abandoning reason or refusing to examine evidence. It means recognizing that our understanding is limited and submitting it to God’s wisdom.

Biblical discernment doesn’t dismiss our feelings. It refuses to make our feelings the final authority.

So when we say, “I know this is right,” perhaps we should stop and ask:

What am I using to determine that it’s right?

When Familiarity Begins to Feel Like Truth

Have you ever heard something so many times that you stopped questioning whether it was true?

I know I’ve done this!

Growing up, there were things said in my family so often that I just accepted them as truth. One was that going outside with wet hair would make you sick.

Even today, knowing that’s not how we catch illnesses, I still catch myself thinking about it when I head outside with wet hair!

It’s funny how something we’ve heard repeatedly can become so deeply ingrained that we continue to react to it, even after learning otherwise.

But it makes me wonder how many other things I’ve accepted as truth simply because I’ve heard them so often.

Maybe for you it was something your parents taught you, a belief repeated in church, something a respected pastor said, or a message you’ve encountered so frequently that it now seems obvious.

Over time, it became familiar.

And because it was familiar, it began to feel true.

Psychologists describe a related tendency as the illusory truth effect: repeated information can seem more believable simply because we’ve encountered it before.

But familiarity is not the same as truth.

And this doesn’t only happen with everyday beliefs.

It can happen with our understanding of Scripture.

We may hear a Bible verse quoted so often that we never stop to read the verses surrounding it.

We may accept an interpretation because a respected teacher explained it that way.

Or we may hold on to a belief simply because it’s what we’ve always been taught.

That doesn’t automatically mean the teaching is wrong.

But how would we know if we’ve never examined it ourselves?

Scripture Warns About Reassuring Messages That Aren’t True

“From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.”

Jeremiah 6:13–14 (NIV)

Read the surrounding passage in Jeremiah 6.

What was happening among God’s people? What were the prophets and priests telling them? And why was God confronting them?

In Jeremiah’s day, religious leaders were reassuring the people when they should have been confronting their wrongdoing.

They were declaring peace when there was no peace.

Their message sounded comforting, but it wasn’t true.

Read 2 Timothy 4:3–4.

Paul warns that people will turn away from sound teaching and seek teachers who tell them what they want to hear.

Notice that the danger isn’t limited to the person speaking.

The people listening may want the message to be true.

What if we’ve accepted something for years simply because it was familiar?

Would we be willing to reconsider it if Scripture showed us something different?

When Our Emotions Become Louder Than the Truth

Imagine scrolling through social media and seeing a post that makes you angry.

Perhaps it describes an injustice, a political decision, or something happening in the world that goes against everything you believe is right.

Your immediate reaction is outrage.

You share it. You write a response. You tell your friends and family. Soon, others are reacting with the same anger.

But somewhere in all that emotion, there’s a question we may have forgotten to ask.

But is it true?

Did we examine the original source? Do we know the full context? Or are we reacting to someone else’s interpretation of what happened?

Read Proverbs 18:13 and 18:17.

Proverbs warns us against answering before listening and reminds us that the first person to present a case may seem right until someone else examines it.

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”

James 1:19–20 (NIV)

That doesn’t mean injustice shouldn’t grieve us or that we should remain silent about wrongdoing.

But our anger, even when understandable, doesn’t prove that the information provoking it is accurate.

And when we share something without examining it, we risk becoming another voice spreading something that isn’t true.

Someone makes a claim. Others repeat it. The message spreads. Eventually, the number of people repeating it begins to make it seem credible.

But repetition and agreement aren’t proof.

When it comes to our faith, the consequences can be especially serious. We may unintentionally lead others away from God’s truth while genuinely believing we’re helping them find it.

Jesus warned about the blind leading the blind in Matthew 15:14.

Discernment isn’t just about protecting ourselves from deception. It’s also about being careful not to pass that deception on to others.

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:19–22.

In the context of prophetic claims, Paul instructs believers to test them, hold on to what is good, and reject evil.

Consider how that principle challenges us when we encounter a message we already agree with.

Are we willing to examine those messages just as carefully as the ones we oppose?

When Something Sounds Spiritual but Isn’t Biblical

Not every misleading voice openly opposes God.

Some use His name.

Some quote Scripture.

Some sound so familiar that we assume they must be biblical.

Read 1 John 4:1–6.

As you read, notice what John specifically tells believers to examine. What were the false teachers saying about Jesus?

John warns believers not to believe every spirit but to test whether they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

In context, John specifically addresses what teachers confess about Jesus Christ and distinguishes the Spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood.

His warning reminds us that spiritual claims should not be accepted simply because someone speaks in God’s name.

We may hear a teaching from a respected pastor, a familiar church, or someone whose faith we admire.

That doesn’t automatically make the teaching true or false.

But it does mean we have a responsibility to examine what is being taught.

Read Acts 17:10–12.

The Bereans received Paul’s message eagerly, yet they examined the Scriptures daily to see whether what he said was true.

Think about that.

They didn’t reject the message simply because it was new.

But they didn’t accept it without examination either.

And Scripture commends them for it.

Their example reminds us that examining a teaching against Scripture isn’t an act of disrespect toward the person teaching it.

It’s a commitment to truth.

Recognizing Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Matthew 7:15–20.

Jesus warns about false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

He tells His listeners that they will recognize them by their fruits.

A teacher’s popularity, confidence, ability to quote Scripture, or apparent success doesn’t automatically establish faithfulness.

We must consider what they teach and the fruit of their lives and ministry in light of Scripture.

Read Acts 20:28–32.

Paul warns the elders at Ephesus that wolves will come among the flock.

He also warns that some will arise from within the church, speaking twisted things to draw disciples after themselves.

Notice the danger.

Rather than directing people toward Christ, they draw followers after themselves.

But discernment also requires us to distinguish false teaching from an honest misunderstanding.

Consider Apollos.

Read Acts 18:24–28.

Apollos was knowledgeable in the Scriptures and taught accurately about Jesus, but his understanding was incomplete.

When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God more accurately.

They corrected him rather than treating every gap in his understanding as deliberate deception.

What can we learn from the way they approached him?

Not every disagreement is evidence that someone is a wolf.

Believers can misunderstand passages, grow in knowledge, and receive correction.

Read 2 Timothy 2:24–26.

Paul instructs the Lord’s servant to avoid foolish quarrels and correct opponents with gentleness.

Biblical discernment should make us more committed to truth, not more eager to condemn.

What If the Voice Misleading Us Is Our Own?

We’ve considered the danger of misleading messages, false teachers, and claims that sound spiritual.

But there is another voice we need to examine.

Our own.

It’s often easier to recognize a problem in someone else’s beliefs than to examine the desires influencing our own.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

Jeremiah 17:9–10 (KJV)

In this passage, Jeremiah contrasts trusting in human strength with trusting in the Lord. He describes the human heart as deceitful and declares that God searches the heart and examines our ways.

We may sincerely believe our motives are good.

But sincerity doesn’t guarantee that we understand ourselves correctly.

Read James 1:14–16.

James explains how a person’s own desires can entice them and lead toward sin.

Not every desire is sinful.

But our desires can influence what we are willing to believe, especially when God’s truth challenges something we want.

Consider how this can happen.

We want to hold on to resentment because we believe someone deserves it.
We want recognition and begin calling our ambition a ministry.
We want to win an argument and convince ourselves that our anger is righteous.
We may even search Scripture looking for a verse that supports a decision we’ve already made.

Earlier, we read Paul’s warning about people seeking teachers who tell them what they want to hear.

But what if we’re the ones searching for someone who agrees with us?

Are we searching for truth?

Or are we searching for reassurance that we’re already right?

Wisdom From Above

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

James 3:13–18.

James contrasts wisdom shaped by bitter jealousy and selfish ambition with wisdom from above.

As you read, consider how James describes each kind of wisdom. What attitudes and actions distinguish them?

He describes heavenly wisdom as pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere.

Notice that James examines both motives and conduct.

We may be able to justify our actions with convincing explanations.

But what is actually motivating us?

Are we seeking God’s truth, or are we using spiritual language to defend what we already want?

Discernment requires humility because we must be willing to recognize that the person needing correction may be us.

How Do We Grow in Discernment?

We’ve seen how easily our judgment can be influenced by emotions, familiarity, respected teachers, and our own desires.

Scripture teaches us that discernment develops through spiritual maturity, the renewal of our minds, and the practice of applying God’s truth.

It isn’t developed merely by studying false teachings or becoming suspicious of others.

It grows as we learn God’s Word and allow it to shape our understanding.

When we encounter something that challenges what we believe, or confirms something we already believe, we can begin by asking:

What does Scripture actually say?

Have we read the passage in context? Are we relying on someone’s interpretation without examining it ourselves?

What is influencing my understanding?

Am I being guided by truth, or by fear, anger, pride, comfort, or personal desire?

Am I willing to be corrected?

If Scripture challenges what I’ve believed, am I willing to change my understanding?

These aren’t questions we ask only when evaluating someone else’s beliefs.

They’re questions we should be willing to ask ourselves.

And where Scripture doesn’t give a specific answer, we should be careful not to claim certainty that God has not given us.

Search Me, O God

Throughout this study, we’ve looked at the voices that influence what we believe.

We’ve considered how our understanding, emotions, familiar teachings, respected leaders, and even our own desires can lead us away from truth.

But perhaps one of the most important things we can do with discernment is turn that examination inward.

David prayed:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!”

Psalm 139:23 (ESV)

In the next verse, he asks God to reveal any grievous way within him and lead him in the everlasting way.

I think that’s a prayer worth making our own.

It’s easy to examine what someone else believes.

It’s much harder to ask whether we’ve been wrong about something we’ve believed for years.

Have we accepted teachings without examining Scripture?

Have our emotions influenced what we’ve shared?

Have we looked for verses that support what we already wanted to believe?

The purpose of biblical discernment isn’t to prove we’re right. It’s to grow in our understanding of God’s truth, even when that means recognizing where we’ve been wrong.

As you finish this study, take some time with Psalm 139:23–24.

Ask God to examine your heart, your motives, and your understanding.

Be willing to return to His Word and reconsider what you’ve believed.

Because recognizing the Shepherd’s voice matters.

And in our final study, we’ll explore the next question:

Once we recognize His voice, how do we actually follow Him?

What Do These Scriptures Teach Us Together?

Hebrews 5:11–14 — Discernment develops through spiritual maturity and practice.

Philippians 1:9–11 — Love, knowledge, and discernment belong together.

Proverbs 14:12 — Something can seem right to us and still lead in the wrong direction.

Romans 12:1–2 — Our minds must be renewed rather than shaped by the world around us.

Proverbs 3:5–7 — We must trust the Lord rather than make our own understanding the final authority.

Proverbs 18:13, 17 — We should examine information before forming conclusions.

1 John 4:1–6 — Spiritual claims must be tested rather than automatically believed.

Acts 17:10–12 — The Bereans examined Scripture to evaluate what they were taught.

Matthew 7:15–20 — Jesus warns that false prophets may appear trustworthy and teaches us to examine their fruit.

Acts 18:24–28 — Incomplete understanding can be corrected through faithful instruction.

James 1:14–16 — Our own desires can entice us and lead toward sin.

James 3:13–18 — Wisdom from above differs from jealousy and selfish ambition.

Psalm 139:23–24 — We should invite God to examine our hearts and lead us in His way.

---

Coming Next: Part 5 — You Know His Voice. Now How Do We Follow?

Throughout this series, we’ve explored who the Good Shepherd is, how to recognize His voice, and why discernment matters.

But knowing what Scripture says is only the beginning.

How do we actually put it into practice?

In our final study, we’ll explore practical ways to follow Jesus through His Word. We’ll look at familiar Christian sayings, spiritual claims, and teachings we may have accepted without examining them. We’ll consider how to study Scripture in context, recognize when correction is needed, and respond faithfully to what God reveals.

Because following the Shepherd means more than recognizing His voice.

It means learning to walk in His ways.

Even If, Still

Even if the whole world agrees, still I will test what I hear against God’s Word, because truth is not determined by popularity, feelings, or familiarity, but by God Himself.